Tridimensional fiber preforms are used to produce composite structural elements, for use for example in aircraft, infrastructure, industrial components, etc. Such preforms are typically manufactured through weaving of orthogonal warp and weft yarns, with more complex shapes being sometimes obtained through folding of the fabric after weaving. However such preforms may have limited mechanical properties.
Other preforms are manufactured by weaving the weft yarns at different angles from the warp yarns, but the weaving machines required to obtain such weaving patterns are usually complex and/or have limitations as to the weft yarn orientations that can be achieved.